New Director of Estates appointed at University of Leicester

Published by University of Leicester Press Office for University of Leicester in Education and also in Communities

The University of Leicester has appointed a new Director of Estates to spearhead the next phase of the University’s £1 billion Development Framework Plan- one the most ambitious programmes of any university in the UK.

Trevor Humphreys arrives at Leicester from the University of Manchester, succeeding Paul Goffin who has moved to the University of Oxford as Director of Estates.

The University has already invested in excess of £63m since the plan was announced in 2008 and work is already underway on other major capital investment projects worth over £70m. 

These include:

• Development of the former College Hall into a residential management training centre

• Creation of a new Medical Building

• Development of two sports centres

• Completion of the Cardiovascular Research Centre

• Replacement of the roof to the grade 2* listed Engineering Building

Mr Humphreys, who was Deputy Director of Estates at Manchester and a Project Surveyor at Liverpool, said: “The Development Framework Plan outlined plans for physical investment in the campus over 20 years, aiming to create a campus that matches Leicester’s ambition and reputation as part of the academic elite.

“Key to Leicester’s plan is developing a campus that augments its strengths, provides scope for new ventures and developments and creates a ‘sense of place’ – a campus that provides a real sense of identity and that staff and students find memorable. I am keen to continue the work in developing a first-class estate befitting a first-class university.

“Recent developments like the David Wilson Library and the Percy Gee Students’ Union have been award-winning- contributing to the reputation for excellence that this University has.

“The University’s ambition is all the more remarkable in a period of financial uncertainty- but I am impressed with the University’s commitment to invest in order to maintain its position and increase its success, as well as continuing to contribute to regional and national prosperity.

“As the campus takes shape at Leicester, it will speak volumes for the kind of institution we are and our ambition to continue to be one of the best. Memorable public spaces and buildings will speak volumes for Leicester, contributing to the staff and student experiences of this ‘sense of place’.

Mr Humphreys will build on Leicester’s heritage of buildings that span three centuries in order to maximise the benefits of space for staff and students. His previous experience of working with listed buildings will stand him in good stead at Leicester.

He said: “I have been struck by a number of very interesting buildings on campus that undoubtedly present some real challenges in terms of functionality and cost to maintain. I have also been surprised with how tranquil certain areas of the campus feel.

“I am tremendously excited about the opportunity at Leicester and very much looking forward to the challenges this will bring. The University, like the sector, faces great uncertainty over the coming months and years and for me, it is the opportunity to make a very positive contribution to both the strategic direction of the University and to the continued improvement of the estate and how this positively influences the quality of teaching and learning, research, and of course the student experience."